Genoa
Thursday
May 21st
My dear Henry
I have this moment received your letter <1> of yesterday from Bologna – And we rejoice to learn from it that your most ill chosen moment of departure in the confusion of Monday Evening led to no more serious inconvenience – I assure you we were filled with apprehension & anxiety by the report which Bayer <2> brought back from the Genoa Station after seeing you off by that overcrowded train – the third which was started that evening to clear off the crowd of return holiday people, assembled at 6.20 – It really was very imprudent in you to persist in going – and without the excuses of necessity – yours being a mere journey of pleasure. We forward today, the Galignani <3> of yesterday – & will send them daily, until you tell us that you succeed in getting them of an earlier date – I am sorry we have no news from Cannes – Are you certain that you asked Caroline <4> to write again immediately & to direct to Genoa as before! – We do not propose to leave this till Monday at soonest, but you shall have a line to tell you where we have fixed – A letter from Charles to Monie <5> yesterday contained no particular news – but that the weather has become quite warm out there, and he imagines we may be too hot in Italy –
It really is very close & thundery at the present time – with a threatening Sky. – Yesterday it rained heavily & thundered. We had also the thunder of artillery – parting salutes to the Royal family – Today is less noisy – but Genoa has not settled down to business – this being the fête of the Ascension –shops closed & streets crowded with people –
Love to Ela <6> & thank her for her postscript of Statistics – You are progressing very leisurely – so that I don’t think you will have wearied of Lucca baths before we join you –
You musn’t <sic> reproach me for the dullness of this letter, as I have really no news of any kind to send you –
Your affectionate
Constance
Our healths continues much the same as when you left us –Notes:
1. See Doc. No: 09374.
2. M J Bayer, courier.
3. Galignani’s Messenger, a newspaper that had a wide circulation among English residents on the Continent.
4. Caroline Augusta Edgcumbe, née Feilding, Lady Mt Edgcumbe (1808–1881); WHFT’s half-sister.
5. Charles Henry Talbot (1842–1916), antiquary & WHFT’s only son; Rosamond Constance ‘Monie’ Talbot (1837–1906), artist & WHFT’s 2nd daughter.
6. Ela Theresa Talbot (1835–1893), WHFT’s 1st daughter.